Print unit



Se t. 8, 1964 G. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10 SheetsSheet 1 Original FiledJuly 7, 1959 Inventor 04 M Hm I MmEZM/M WA orney Sept. 8, 1964 G. SMITHETAL PRINT UNIT 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 7, 1959 I nventorW M BY ,(mwum I Attorney Sept. 8, 1964 G. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT OriginalFiled July 7, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnvenlor WW 7 y q Sept. 8, 1964 e.SMITH ETAL 3,147,696

PRINT UNIT Original Filed July 7, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 I new lot M Myawzaw Attorney Sept. 8, 1964 5. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10 Sheets-Sheet 5Original Filed July 7, 1959 lnvenlor Sept. 8, 1964 Original Filed July'7, 1959 G. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 j J Invento M 7% m zmafia/m Attorney Sept. 8, 1964 6. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10 Sheets-Sheet7 Original Filed July 7, 1959 Sept. 8, 1964 G. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed July 7, 1959 L ass Hum /72 50 iii-04 Sept.8, 1964 G. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed July7, 1959 Sept. 8, 1964 G. SMITH ETAL PRINT UNIT 10 Sheets-Sheet 10Original Filed July '7, 1959 United States Patent O 3,147,696 PRINT UNETGeofirey Smith and Hans Meyer, London, England Griginal application July7, 1959, Ser. No. 825,565. Divided and this application Dec. 2, 1960,Ser. No. 73,418 tClaims. (Qt. 1h1-7) The present invention relates toapparatus for printing markings on tabs or labels adapted to be attachedto other articles, and is divided from the G. Smith et al., applicationSerial No. 825,565 filed July 7, 1959, which is concerned with themarking of textile articles such as articles of clothing by attachmentthereto by heat and pressure of heat scalable tabs or labels, formed forexample from a strip of material provided with a thermoplasticcomponent, and to which identification characters are applied beforeattachment to the article.

Such tabs or labels may for example be intended for the temporarymarking of articles during the course of laundry or dry-cleaningoperations and it may form part of the machine described in theaforesaid application Serial No. 825,565.

More particularly the main object of the present invention is to providea printing mechanism which is adapted to print a predetermined number ofidentical markings on tabs intended for application to a number ofarticles forming, for example, a set or batch. This feature is importantwhere each customers order may comprise a number of associated articles,such as the separate parts of a suit. In this case the printingmechanism includes means to print a character representing saidpredetermined number and means are provided to stop or disable a tabapplying machine when the said predetermined number of articles havebeen marked and until the printing mechanism has been re-set for thenext batch.

The printing mechanism may include serial number printing mechanismhaving digit transfer mechanism which is advanced automatically by oneunit on completion of the printing of the said predetermined number.

In a preferred arrangement of printing mechanism there are severalserial number printing wheels which may be associated with other wheelsfor printing other identification characters, and also a batch numberprinting wheel for printing a character representing the predeterminednumber of articles in each batch. The serial number printing wheels andthe batch number printing wheel are associated with accessible selectorwheels by which the operator may preselect the serial number and in somecases the other identification characters, and may, by a settingmovement of the batch number wheel, adjust the mechanism for theparticular number of tabs which are to have identical markings printedthereon. The selector wheel for the batch number is preferably theoutermost wheel most conveniently accessible to the operator, since thiswheel has to be re-set for each batch of articles.

Before marking each batch of articles the batch number selector wheel ispre-set according to the number of articles in the batch, and then thetabs are marked. Each bears the same serial number (and otheridentification markings), and the same number-in-batch number. On eachoperation of the machine a ratchet wheel is advanced one step.

One construction of a machine incorporating the present invention ishereinafter described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the machine with the protecting cover removed.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional plan view on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 111111 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the operat ing parts in thepressing position, FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 being taken in the direction of thearrow E in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view seen in the direction of the arrow F inFIG. 2 and is a view similar to FIG. 1 as seen from the other side ofthe machine,

FIG. 6 is a detail view showing the operation of the motor start-stopmechanism,

FIG. 7 is a detail view showing the operation of the printing platen,

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views showing the operation of the tabforming mechanism,

FIG. 11 is an underneath view of the print unit,

FIG. 12 is a front view of the print unit,

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross-section of the print unit,

FIG. 14 is a cross-section of FIG. 13 on the line AA,

FIGS. 15 and 16 are partial cross-sectional views on a larger scale,respectively on the lines B-B, CC respectively of FIG. 13,

FEG. 17 is a view similar to FIGS. 15 and 16, but showing the cut-offarm in its alternative position, and

FIG. 18 is a detail view indicating the connection of the cut-off arm tothe motor control means.

As shown on FIGS. 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, the machinecomprises a main frame having a base plate 21 and side plates 22. It isenclosed in a casing, not shown, only the pivotally movable articlesupport 23 and the selector wheels for the print unit being exposed. Thesupport 23 has a yieldable presser face 24 and is pivotally mounted at25 upon lever arms 26 which extend between the side plates 22 of themachine and carry a relatively massive weight 27 at the opposite end.The

levers embody spring buffers 28 resting on the base plate 21 of themachine in the inoperative position of the article support 23 as shownfor example in FIG. 3.

Intermediately of the levers 26 and preferably comparatively close tothe pivot 25 is a pivot pin 29 pivotally interconnecting the levers 26and a further lever 3i pivoted at 31 between the side plates 22. Theother end of the lever 30 carries a follower roller 32 engage able by acam 33 on a main shaft 34.

The main shaft 34 is driven by an electric motor 35 through suitablereduction gearing indicated at 36, the final drive being by means of agear wheel 37 on the outer side of the main frame 22.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 the article support is pivotally connected toa U-shaped latch arm 38 having an L-shaped slot 39 co-operating with afixed pin 4t secured to one side frame member 22. The pin 40 alsosupports an actuator slide 41 which is slotted as indicated at 46 (FIG.6) to permit the actuator slide 41 to come into operative engagementwitha switch 42, which may be a micro switch, for starting and stoppingthe motor 35. The latch arm 38 is provided with an inturned flanged edgepart 43 (PEG. 2) which, when the article support 23 is moved inwardlyfrom the loading position shown in FIG. 1 to the pressing position shownin FIGS. 3 (in chain-dot lines) and in FIG. 6 presses against the endface of the actuator slide 41 and moves the latter into operativeengagement with the switch 42 to start the motor 35.

The U-shaped latch arm 38 is subjected to the action of a pull-downspring 44 and is provided with a depending nose portion 45 which, in thestarting position shown in FIG. 6, engages a pin 47 on the gear wheel 37and thus initially holds the forward end of the latch arm 38 in theuppermost position shown in full lines in FIG. 6. However, immediatelyafter the article support 23 has been moved to the inward position shownin FIG. 6, the motor 35 will normally be started by the closing ofswitch 42 and the gear wheel 37 then rotates in the anti-clockwisedirec- 3 tion as seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 6 so that the pin 47disengages from the nose part 45 and allows the latch arm 38 to drop sothat the nearly vertical part of the slot 39 drops on to the pin 40 thuslocking the article support 23 in the vertical position of FIG. 6. If,however, the motor has not been started for any reason, locking upon thepin does not occur so that the article support 23 can be moved to itsforwardly pivoted position.

Operation of the motor continues since the actuator slide 41 is held inits switch-operating position by the engagement of the flange 43 againstthe slide 41. The motor continues to operate for one complete markingcycle represented by one revolution of the gear wheel 37 and of the mainshaft 34. Towards the end of this revolution the pin 47 engages adepending lug part 49 of the actuator slide 41 and lifts the end part ofsaid slide out of engagement with the switch 42 so that the motor stopsat about the same moment that the pin 47 again engages the nose part tolift the latch arm 38 to disengage it from the pin 40, permitting thearticle support 23 to move to its inclined position as shown in FIG. 1.Towards the end of this return movement a projecting portion 50 of thelatch arm 38 engages a lug portion 51 of the actuating slide 41 andreturns it to its starting position ready for the next operation of themachine and permits the actuator slide 41 to return to its down positionshown in FIG. 1 without further actuating the switch 42.

Means are provided for forming tabs and for positioning the formed tabsover an article applied to the article support 23 when the latter ismoved to the vertical pressing position as shown in FIG. 6. The tabs soformed are fed to the marking position by means of a gripper 55comprising relatively movable jaws. This gripper is movable through anangle of approximately 90 from the tab receiving and marking position ato a tab-applying position b both indicated in FIG. 2. In the normalinoperative position of the machine the gripper 55 is located at anintermediate position approximately as shown in FIG. 2 and is then movedfirst in the anti-clockwise direction to the tab receiving and markingposition a and then swung through 90 to the tab applying position b.This gripper is rotatable on a vertical rod 56 and operated by anaxially movable connector rod 57 by spring transmission means from aprojecting arm 58 forming part of a lever 59 pivoted to one side frame22 at 61 and lying between the gear wheel 37 and the frame 22. In FIG. 1the lever 59 is shown in full lines in its normal intermediate positioncorresponding to the intermediate position of the gripper shown also infull lines in FIG. 2. The lever 59 is connected to a projecting arm 61lying on the outer side of gear wheel 37, and which is shaped forco-operation with a pin 62 projecting from the outer face of the gearwheel 37, said cam being shaped so that when the motor is started thepin 62 presses the arm 61 in the downward direction so that the arm 53moves the connecting rod 57 towards the right-hand side of FIG. 1 tomove the gripper 55 to the position a to pick up a tab. As the pin 62moves away from the arm 61 the pin 47 on the opposite side of the gearwheel 37 engages a side face part of the lever 59 and moves thisreversely through to the end alternative position shown in chain doubledot lines to actuate the gripper 55 to transfer the formed and markedtab to the position b in FIG. 2.

The construction of the gripper 55 is also shown on FIG. 3 of thedrawings: it comprises upper and lower jaw members the lower jaw beingpivotally mounted at 64 and engaged by the flanged head of a sleeve 65slidable but not rotatable upon the rod 56 upon which the whole gripper55 rotates when actuated by the connector rod 57. The sleeve 65 isguided at its lower end by a projecting plate 66 having a dependingblade 67 fitting within a groove 68 of the main shaft 34, thuspreventing rotation of the sleeve 65 while permitting vertical movementby the engagement of a cam element 69 on the main shaft with the plate66. These means provide for the opening and closing of the jaws ofgripper 55 as and when required.

The operation of the tab forming mechanism will now be described withreference to FIGS. 8 to 10. A strip 71 of tab-forming material issupplied from a suitable storage reel 72 mounted on the other side frame22 of the machine and is fed over a guide unit 73 housing a serratedfeed Wheel 74 operated step-by-step on each operation of the machine bymeans of a feeder bar 75 having a lug 76 which engages successivedriving pins 77 on the wheel 74. A suitable spring operated presserwheel 73 is arranged above the feed wheel 74 to provide counter pressureto ensure the feed of the strip 71 on each operation of the machine. Thefeeder bar 75 is rotatable upon a crank pin 70 on a cam disc 79 carriedby the main shaft 34 so that on each operation of the machine the feedwheel 74 delivers (feed position in FIG. 8) a tab-forming length of thestrip 71 into a guide member 80 pivotally mounted on the end of a lever81 pivoted at 82 to one side frame 22 of the machine. During the feedmotion of the strip 71 (FIG. 8) the guide member 80 is displacedrelatively to the lever 81 by means of a projecting arm portion 84depending from the guide 80 which engages a pin 85 on the outer side ofan arm 86 fixed to the main shaft 34. Due to the pivoting motion of theguide member 80 the projecting tip part 711 of the strip 71 is locatedbeneath a presser bar 87, this presser bar being formed by a bent endpart of a spring blade member 88 extending along the leading edge of thelever 81.

After the new length of strip 71 has been projected so that the tip part711 lies beneath the presser bar 87, the guide member 811 pivots on thelever 81, due to the rotation of the shaft 34 and the movement of thepin 85, and reaches the position shown in FIG. 9 so that the presser bar87 serves to bend the leading tip part 711 downwardly at right angles tothe length of the strip. On continuing movement of the main shaft 34 thepin 85 on the arm 36 engages a cam surface 91 associated with the lever81 to move the latter to the position shown in FIG. 10 where a fixedprojection 92 engages the spring 88 to cause the presser bar 87 tocomplete the folding under of the tip part 711 to form the finished tab.On first operation of the gripper 55, the finished tab held by the guide811 is engaged by the gripper and is then ready to receive a printedmarking. Before the lever 81 commences to move from the position inFIGS. 8 and 9 the tab-forming length of strip 71 is severed from thestrip by means of a pivoted cutter 94 which is shown in FIG. 10 at theend of its cutting stroke. Actuation of the cutter 94 is performed fromthe main shaft 34 by engagement of the pin 96 on the opposite face ofthe arm 86 to the pin 85, with the camlike edge of a rocker plate 35pivoted on a pin 96 on the main frame 22. This rocker plate is linked bypivot 97 to a vertical slide bar 98 operating the cutter 94. The rockerplate 95 is also attached to a U-shaped member 99 (as seen in FIG. 2)linked to vertical push-rod 1% serving to advance the batch register ofthe print unit P.

The present invention is concerned with the print unit P which servesfor marking identification numerals on the tab or label held by thegripper 55, and is described in detail hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 11 to 16. Such unit comprises a number of type means for printingidentification characters on the tab or label. The act of printing isperformed by a platen member 101 and it will be seen that the operationof the guide 80 to the position shown in FIG. 10 brings the tab or labelto a position over the platen 191 where it is engaged by the gripper 55.During the operating cycle of the machine a previously formed tab orlabel has been transferred from the guide 81) to the gripper 55 and heldby the latter over the platen 1111 after guide 80 has returned to theFIG. 8 position.

At the commencement of the tab applying cycle a sharp upward movement isapplied to the platen 161 to perform the printing operation. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 7 the platen 101 is carried by a vertically movable strip102 subjected to the action of a spring 193 and pivotally connected to alever 1114 controlled by the engagement of a pin 1% with the cam 79 onthe main shaft 34. Prior to printing motion the cam 79 depresses thelever 154 and the strip 102 thus compressing the spring 1% and when thepin 106 passes ofi the peak of the cam 105 the spring 103 becomesoperative to force the strip 1412 and the platen 101 upwardly with ahammer-like action to print a marking from the type faces of the printunit P on the tab or label carried by the gripper 55 thus marking aclear impression on the tab. After the printing operation a circularportion of the cam 1115 holds the platen 101 in an intermediate positionsuch as is shown in FIG. 5.

In operation of the machine as described so far it may be assumed thatthe parts are in the starting position shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, thegripper 55 is in an intermediate position and the tab-forming mechanismis in the starting position shown in FIG. 5, a length of tab strip 71being already severed. An article to be marked is placed on the support23 and the latter is pressed inwardly to the chaindot line positionshown in FIG. 3 thus starting the motor 35 and initiating one completerevolution of the main shaft 34-. After a short interval the cam 33 onthe main shaft depresses the roller 32 and lifts the article support 23which is already latched in the vertical position by engagement of thenearly vertical section of the slot 3? on the pin 40. Initially theright-hand end of the lever 26 is raised to press the article and thetab or label positioned thereover into engagement with a heated fixedplaten 120 supported between the side frame members 22. When operativeengagement with the platen has been effected the continuing lift actionof the cam 33 is transmitted through the lever 26 to the weight 27 sothat the latter becomes operative to provide the effective upwardpressure on the article support 23, the position of the parts at thistime being indicated on FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that the cam 33has a circular face portion the dimensions of which control the periodfor which pressure is maintained upon the article and the tab or label,it being assumed that the motor 35 and the main shaft 34 operate atconstant speed.

Dealing now with the operation of the tab forming and feed mechanism. Itwill be seen that at the commencement of the operating cycle the guide80 was in the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 9 and is then actuated tocomplete the formation of the tab and to position it over the platen 101where it is engaged by the gripper 55 and thereafter the guide 80returns to its starting position and the commencement of the formationof the next tab is initiated as shown in FIG. 8. The preceding tab nowheld by the gripper 55 receives a printed impression by the operation ofthe platen 101 and thereafter by the partial rotary movement of thegripper 55 the marked tab is brought to a position overlying the articlefed into the marking position by the article support 23, these variousoperations being performed at the same time as the article is beingbrought into the marking position and before the support 23 is raised bythe cam 33. The gripper 55 holds the folded-under end part 711 of thetab clear of the presser face 24 and due to this fact and to the factthe folded-under end part of the strip is incapable of adhering to thearticle a non-adherent finger grip is thereby formed. 0n completion ofthe marking and tab-applying cycle the article support 23 is releasedand this moves to its starting position shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 ready forthe next marking cycle and the gripper 55 returns to its intermediatestarting position.

The print unit P incorporates a batch register adapted to be presetaccording to the number of tabs or labels intended to receive identicalmarkings, and said print unit embodies a cut-off arm 107 which isactuated from the batch register on completion of the printing of thelast tab or label pertaining to that batch. The cut-off arm 107 isadapted to disable the machine by preventing further operation of themotor 35. This may be performed by a separate switch connected. inseries with the switch 42 or conveniently and as shown the cut-off arm107 extends through a slot in the side frame members 22 and is linkedthrough a tension spring 1118 to the actuator slide 41 so that afterprinting the last tab or label the slide 41 is lifted and is thus madeinoperative when the article support 23 is moved inwardly.

It may be desirable to arrange for the print unit P to print anidentification marking on the customers receipt or token and for thispurpose a hand-operating member may be provided for the platen 101 andarranged so that this printing does not actuate the batch register. Thishand actuator may embody a cam device and depresses the plate 162 tocompress the spring 103 and then releases it to perform the printingoperation, these operations being performed independently of the cam 79.

In some cases it may be desirable to vary the operative pressing timeand/ or the effective pressure in order to adapt the machine forapplying tabs or labels to widely varying types of articles to bemarked. For this purpose an externally operable control knob or dial maybe provided which is adapted either to displace the weight 27 on thelever arms 26 so as to vary the pressure, and/ or alternative cams 33may be brought into operation so as to vary the pressing time. In manycases the adjustment may vary both factors, i.e. the operative pressureand the pressing time, simultaneously, and the operating means may becalibrated with markings representing the different types of articlewhich may be marked.

FIGS. 11 to 16 show the print unit P, wherein a main spindle 151rotatably supports a plurality of printing wheels comprising a batchnumber printing wheel 152, a plurality of serial number printing wheels153 and preferably a number of further printing wheels 15 1-. Each ofthe wheels 153 and 154 is provided with a plurality of depressions inits bore engageable with a row of spring pressed balls 155 arranged inthe spindle 151 thus serving to locate the printing wheels in theirvarious operative positions. A series of recesses formed between thetype faces of each wheel 152, 153, 154 are in driving engagement with arow of sprocket Wheels 156 which are connected to a plurality ofselector wheels 157 by means of concentric sleeves. The sprocket wheel156 engaging the batch number wheel 152 is connected to a batch selectorwheel 158 located on the outer side of the selector wheel assembly andconnected to its associated sprocket wheel 155 by means of a centralspindle 159.

It will be seen that by rotation of the selector wheels 157 it ispossible to pre-select the positions of the print wheels 153 and 154,while by rotation of the selector wheel 158 it is possible to select theposition of the batch number printing wheel 152. With the mechanism inthe position shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 the print unit is set for printingtwo labels for a batch of two articles both of which will receive themarking AAGOOO 2.

Rotatably mounted adjacent the batch number printing wheel 152. is aratchet wheel 160 forming the batch register; the bore of the wheel 160formed with ratchetlike teeth engageable by a spring pressed pawl 161which prevents retrogressive movement of the ratchet wheel 169. A pin162 on the side face of the batch number printing wheel 152 is adaptedto engage a pin 163 traversing the ratchet wheel 160 and, on the otherside of said ratchet wheel, is adapted to engage a follower arm 164pivotally mounted on a pin 165 fixed to a supporting frame member 166and fixedly connected to an arm 167 having a pin'168 extending throughan aperture 169 in the side frame 165 and fixedly connected to thecut-off arm 107 for stopping the machine.

The ratchet wheel 161i is advanced one step on each operation of themachine, and for this purpose a pivotal comb-like digit transfer pawl171- is mounted on a swing frame 172 operatively connected to thevertically movable 'rod 1% actuated on each operation of the machine towhich the print is fitted. Conveniently the rod 109 is provided with anangle member 173 at the top which engages a pin 174 projecting from theswing frame 17?; through a slot in the frame member 166.

At what may be termed the zero position of the ratchet wheel 160 a deepslot 175 is formed in the wheel 160 so that when the transfer pawl 171enters the deep slot 175 in the zero position comb-like finger parts 177of the transfer pawl 171 are adapted to engage selectively with teeth ofprogressively increasing depth adjacent the print wheels 153 at pointscorresponding to the numeral 9 to provide a digit transfer mechanism toadvance the wheels 153 serially in well-known manner in the zeroposition of the ratchet wheel 160. This position of the transfer pawl171 is indicated on FIG. 17 of the drawings from which it will also beseen that at the same time the pin 163 has engaged the follower arm 164to lift the arm 167 and thus to operate the cut-off member 107, therebypreventing further operation of the machine.

It will, therefore, be understood that the batch number selector wheel158 must be reset before the tab applying machine with which the printunit is associated, can be operated again. The ratchet wheel 156 inoperative engagement with the batch number printing wheel 152 isassociated with a spring-pressed holding pawl 178 which preventsrotation of the selector wheel 158 in the anticlockwise direction ofFIGS. 12 and 15. By clock-wise rotation of the selector wheel 158 thebatch number printing wheel 152 is rotated in the anti-clockwisedirection and the pin 162 (shown in FIG. 17 in the position for printingthe character 2) is moved until it engages the pin 163 (in the zeroposition of the selector wheel 158 and of the batch printing wheel 152),and then on continuing movement of the selector wheel the pin 162displaces the pin 163 which then releases the aims 1&4 and 167 andadvances the ratchet wheel 160 to an extent determined by the movementof the selector wheel 158 to a new position representing the number ofarticles in the next batch. The pins 152 and 163 thus form a lost motionconnection between the printing wheel and the batch register ratchetwheel 16th and remain in engagement in whatever new position is selectedby the selector wheel 158 until the unit is actuated.

In the embodiment shown, with the release of the arms 16 1 and 167 thetab applying machine is again ready for operation to print the nextbatch of tabs or labels, the number being printed having been advancedby one unit from the previous marking by the action of the transfer comb177 associated with the transfer pawl 171. Suppose the next batch ofarticles comprises five articles then, in the example quoted, fiveidentical tabs or labels would be printed each marked AAOOOl 5, thefinal operation being to advance the print wheel to the next serialnumber, i.e. AAOOOZ, and then to stop the machine until the selectorwheel 158 has been re-set by rotation through the zero position.

The printing operation is conveniently performed through an ink ribbon179 fed from spools 180 mounted on suitable support spindles 181 carriedby the frame member 166, the ribbon 179 being led over guide rollers 183and over the type faces of the printing wheels 152, 153, 154.

Any suitable means may be provided for advancing one of the spools 186step-by-step and by a small amount on each operation of the machine,these means comprising for example a connector rod 187 operated from theswing frame 172 and rotating a ring 184 carrying a ratchet feed device185.

Any suitable means may be provided if desired for reversing the feed ofthe ribbon when one spool 180 is exhausted so that the ribbon isautomatically fed backwards and forwards; such ribbon reversal has notbeen shown on the drawings as such mechanism is well-known in the art.

In the example of printing unit referred to the two initial lettercharacters may for example be used as Branch Depot identifyingcharacters, while the four serial number characters are intended torepresent successive customers orders. Of course, additional serialnumber printing elements could be provided if desired, while the Branchidentification characters could be printed by other means than rotatableexternally selectable print Wheels. They could for example be providedby exchangeable type face elements fitted within the print unit proper.

What we claim is:

1. A label marking device for a machine for attaching identificationtabs to batches each consisting of a variable given number of textilearticles, comprising identification character tab marking means,additional tab marking means, both said marking means impartingidentical markings to tabs on all articles, counting means for recordingthe successive operations of the machine, means for advancing saidcounting means step-by-step in one direction from a starting position onsuccessive operations of the marking device for the said given number insaid batch of articles towards an end position after every article ofsaid batch has been marked, presettable selector means for rotating saidcounting means selectively in the same direction to a starting positionspaced from said end position before marking a subsequent batch ofarticles, the said starting position being determined by said selectormeans according to the said given number for the following batch ofarticles, and means operable by said counting means for preventingoperation of the machine after said identical markings have been appliedto all said given number of tabs, wherein said counting means includes aratchet wheel advanced step-by-step in one direction at successivemarking operations, a batch number printing wheel, setting means foradjusting said batch number printing wheel and means on said batchnumber printing wheel to advance said ratchet wheel in the samedirection to a preset position representing a number of articles in abatch corresponding to the number of steps by which the ratchet wheel isadvanced to a predetermined position where operation of the machine isprevented.

2. A label marking device as claimed in claim 1, including a projectingmember on the ratchet wheel adapted to operate in said predeterminedposition, a movable member, means linked to said movable member forstopping further operation of the machine and a projecting member on thebatch number printing wheel adapted to come into operative engagementwith said projecting member on said ratchet wheel to advance saidratchet wheel in the same direction as the step-by-step movement of saidratchet wheel to preset the position of said ratchet wheel such that apredetermined number of advancing steps may be imparted to said ratchetwheel after which the projecting member on the ratchet wheel comes intooperative engagement with the said movable member.

3. A label marking device as claimed in claim 2, including a pawl feedmember engageable with said ratchet wheel to advance said wheelstep-by-step, said ratchet wheel embodying a deep notch at a positioncorresponding to the engagement of said projecting member with saidmovable member to cause simultaneous advance of a series of serialnumber printing wheels as the ratchet wheel reaches the position wherethe projecting member operates the movable member.

4. A label marking device for a machine for attaching identificationtabs to batches each consisting of a variable given number of textilearticles, comprising serial number printing means for printing a serialidentification character on said tabs, means to advance said serialnumber printing means by one unit after printing the variable givennumber of articles in each batch of identification tabs, presettablemeans for printing a character distinct from said serial numberindicating said variable given number of articles in each successivebatch, manual adjustment means for presetting the variable number insaid presettable means, means holding the serial number printing meanssetting and the variable number setting to impart identical markings toeach batch of tabs equal to the variable number for attachment torespective articles in each successive batch of articles, counting meansfor recording the successive operations of the machine, means foradvancing said counting means step-by-step in one direction from astarting position on successive operations of the marking device for thesaid given number in said batch of articles towards an end positionafter every article of said batch has been marked, presettable selectormeans coupled to the presettable means for printing a Variable givennumber to operate therewith for rotating said counting means selectivelyin the same direction to a successive starting position for thefollowing batch spaced from said end position before marking asubsequent batch of articles, and locking means operable by saidcounting means for preventing operation of the machine after saididentical markings have been applied to all said given number of tabsuntil said counting means has been rotated into said successive startingposition.

5. In a machine for attaching identification tabs to batches of textilearticles each consisting of a variable given number of articles, alabel-marking device comprising a plurality of serial number printingwheels coaxially aligned, means for selectively advancing said printingwheels, an additional printing wheel coaxially aligned with said wheelsfor printing an additional character registering said given number,means for causing said serial number printing wheels and said additionalprinting wheel to print said given number of identical tabs forattachment to said given number of articles with the identificationserial number and the number of articles in the batch, counting meanspresettable according to said given number, means for operating saidcounting means on each opera tion of the machine, means for advancingsaid serial number printing wheels by one digit following printing ofthe last of said given number of tabs, lock-out means for locking outthe machine when said counting means register a given position afterprinting all said tabs and means for releasing said lock-out means onfurther presetting of said counting means in accordance with the numberof articles in the subsequent batch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,916,966 Cunningham July 4, 1933 2,528,740 Carothers et a1. Nov. 7,1950 2,622,804 Hamisch Dec. 23, 1952 2,672,810 Keuper Mar. 23, 19542,748,676 Braun June 5, 1956 2,821,122 Long Jan. 28, 1958 3,036,519Sloan et a1. May 29, 1962

1. A LABEL MARKING DEVICE FOR A MACHINE FOR ATTACHING IDENTIFICATIONTABS TO BATCHES EACH CONSISTING OF A VARIABLE GIVEN NUMBER OF TEXTILEARTICLES, COMPRISING IDENTIFICATION CHARACTER TAB MARKING MEANS,ADDITIONAL TAB MARKING MEANS, BOTH SAID MARKING MEANS IMPARTINGIDENTICAL MARKINGS TO TABS ON ALL ARTICLES, COUNTING MEANS FOR RECORDINGTHE SUCCESSIVE OPERATIONS OF THE MACHINE, MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAIDCOUNTING MEANS STEP-BY-STEP IN ONE DIRECTION FROM A STARTING POSITION ONSUCCESSIVE OPERATIONS OF THE MARKING DEVICE FOR THE SAID GIVEN NUMBER INSAID BATCH OF ARTICLES TOWARDS AN END POSITION AFTER EVERY ARTICLE OFSAID BATCH HAS BEEN MARKED, PRESETTABLE SELECTOR MEANS FOR ROTATING SAIDCOUNTING MEANS SELECTIVELY IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO A STARTING POSITIONSPACED FROM SAID END POSITION BEFORE MARKING A SUBSEQUENT BATCH OFARTICLES, THE SAID STARTING POSITION BEING DETERMINED BY SAID SELECTORMEANS ACCORDING TO THE SAID GIVEN NUMBER FOR THE FOLLOWING BATCH OFARTICLES, AND MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID COUNTING MEANS FOR PREVENTINGOPERATION OF THE MACHINE AFTER SAID IDENTICAL MARKINGS HAVE BEEN APPLIEDTO ALL SAID GIVEN NUMBER OF TABS, WHEREIN SAID COUNTING MEANS INCLUDES ARATCHET WHEEL ADVANCED STEP-BY-STEP IN ONE DIRECTION AT SUCCESSIVEMARKING OPERATIONS, A BATCH NUMBER PRINTING WHEEL, SETTING MEANS FORADJUSTING SAID BATCH NUMBER PRINTING WHEEL AND MEANS ON SAID BATCHNUMBER PRINTING WHEEL TO ADVANCE SAID RATCHET WHEEL IN THE SAMEDIRECTION TO A PRESET POSITION REPRESENTING A NUMBER OF ARTICLES IN ABATCH CORRESPONDING TO THE NUMBER OF STEPS BY WHICH THE RATCHET WHEEL ISADVANCED TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION WHERE OPERATION OF THE MACHINE ISPREVENTED.